The Great Barrier Reef - The top "must see" in Cairns
Published on Wed 9th Nov 2016 1:48:15pm AEDT
The Great Barrier Reef - The Number 1 Thing to do in Cairns
Our number 1 "must see” in Cairns is definitely the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef of the coast of Queensland is the largest living thing on Earth, and even visible from outer space. The 2,300km long ecosystem comprises thousands of reefs and hundreds of islands made of over 600 types of hard and soft coral. It's home to countless species of colourful fish, molluscs and starfish, plus turtles, dolphins and sharks.
There are lots of different boat companies operating tours daily to the reef from Cairns and Port Douglas. Each tour company travels to different parts of the reef and they all offer an unforgettable time out there. The trick is to find the most suitable one for each individual.
In regards to boat type, visitors have a few options to choose from. There are smaller boats where big crowds are avoided, offering a more personalised service. Or there are the bigger vessels that take travellers to one of their spacious and luxury pontoons (floating platform).
Usually the small vessels are sailing boats so cruising to the Great Barrier Reef can be a relaxing experience. Once on the reef they offer the basic water activities such as snorkelling and introductory and certified diving. This is a great tour for travellers who are seeking relaxation combing the reef.
The pontoons offer passengers many different activities during the day such as glass bottom boat tours, semi-submersable tours, underwater observatory, Seawalker (helmet diving), Scooba-doo (underwater scooter), Sea-bob (underwater snorkelling jet), unlimited snorkelling, introductory and certified diving and much more (activities can differ from one platform to the other). This is a great tour for families with kids, or anyone seeking fun activities while exploring the reef. The platform also offer tables, chairs, change rooms, showers and sundeks so quite a comfortable place to be.
The other option would be to stay overnight in the middle of the outer reef. This is a good choice for travellers looking to spend as much time exploring the reef as possible. There are several boat companies organising overnight tours to the reef and they all offer a personalised service with activities such as unlimited snorkelling, multiple dives during the day and also a night dive for certified day divers.
Also, lets not forget about our beautiful Far North Queensland islands. The islands are located no very far from the coat so a much quicker ride on the boat. Great for visitors who worry about getting sea sick. The islands usually offer great facilities such as restaurants, bars, toilet and showers also many different activities such as snorkelling, diving, kayaking, sea-bob, parasailing etc (different islands offer different activities).